Brian Hioeby Brian Hioe
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Photo Credit: Dquai/WikiCommons/CC BY-SA 4.0
TAIWAN IS WEIGHING increased penalties after an increase in news reports about cases of individuals driving under the influence of drugs, not alcohol.
Drug driving was in the headlines after several incidents in May. On May 4th, a car collision that involved the driver of a BMW hitting a scooter and another car, killing two and injured two more. On May 22nd, a vehicle ran into a hotpot restaurant, killing two and injuring two others. The victims of the crash were members of the family who ran the hotpot restaurant, who had just closed the establishment and were sitting in front of it.
The next day, on May 23rd, a truck crashed into a residential building in Changhua, killing two and injuring one. One day later, on May 24th, a car ran over a motorcycle rider and passenger in Zhonghe in New Taipei. Later on May 30th, a truck driver who was transporting gasoline canisters was also found to be driving under the influence of etomidate vape.
Consequently, there have been calls to tighten laws about testing for the use of etomidate vapes, when previous testing might not have detected the rapid breakdown of such products. Etomidate has a half-life of two to three hours, as a result of which current tests may not detect its use. Some suggestions have been to lower the legal detection threshold for etomidate usage, as well as means of testing in order to account for how such products are normally used.
Indeed, one notes a sharp uptick in the number of driving under the influence (DUI) cases related to drug usage that were detected this year between January and April, which has seen a threefold increase since testing methods were changed. 4,725 drug-related DUI cases were detected this year. At the same time, only 16.73% of cases were found to be related to etomidate, while 21.88% were related to ketamine, and 70.06% were related to methamphetamine.
As such, there have been calls to stiffen penalties for drug usage while driving. Suggestions are that drug usage DUI is more dangerous than driving under the influence of alcohol and so should be treated separately, as well as that driving under the influence of drugs should see stiffer penalties compared to alcohol-related offenses.
Other suggestions have been to publicly shame repeat offenders. As a result, some cities have begun to publicize the names and photos of frequent offenders.
Even so, one notes that this shows that most approaches considered by the government to tackle the issue will be punitive in nature. There seems to be little consideration that repeat offenders may, in fact, themselves be victims who face issues regarding reduction. Nevertheless, this more broadly continues the lack of consideration regarding rehabilitative approaches to issues of drug addiction and abuse in Taiwan, with only contemplation of punitive measures. This proves one way in which Taiwan has been far from progressive on the issue of drug policy.